Tea & Curry
by kyaracandy
Summary: Pearl finds himself in a foreign room, in a foreign town, in a foreign region. Ship: Ruby/Pearl
1. Chapter 1

_This is my first time writing Ruby/Pearl. In reality, this is my first Pokemon fic EVER, so please be kind. It may be a little OOC at parts, but I'm working on it._

_Yes, I know how strange this pairing is, there isn't even an official shipping name, but I submitted one anyway in hopes it might become official. "Official" meaning, of course, appearing on Bulbapedia's Incomplete List :D It's Misnomershipping, btw. That's what I've decided to call it, since both Ruby and Pearl are boys with actual girl names._

_I must ask that no one bash this shipping, since I created it just for fun (and wrote this fic just for fun). Crack shipping, yup. Though this fic wasn't written with crack specifically in mind lol. So let's see how these two hotheads work together, shall we?_

_SO WHATEVS. I'll just quit rambling and get on with the story. Chapter one barely has any shipping action in it, so sorry about the slow-ish start._

Pearl didn't want to wake up. His head felt disgusting, like some bad massage therapist was squeezing it out of existence. His entire body felt like it was aching while he lay under the comforter, which was sprawled across the bed in its usual disorganized fashion. It was all Pearl could do to lift a finger without the dull pain annoying him. After a few slow minutes, he forced himself up for some ibuprofen, maybe even some food; he couldn't tell if his stomach was sore or ready to growl.

That's when he realized his comforter felt a little heavier and his bed a little firmer than usual. Maybe that was why his back hurt, he thought. He scratched his blond head and reached out to the left for his scarf, searching for the familiar soiled lime green that he wore 24/7 like a security blanket.

Pearl's amber eyes widened in shock as he looked at his own bare arm, then past that, where no lime green scarf existed, just a space and a blank wall. He shot up, disturbing the slumbering Pokemon on the bed, causing it to mew in protest. Pearl shied away from the foreign Delcatty. Something was wrong. Everything was wrong. He was in someone else's room, someone else's bed, wearing someone else' nicely pressed pajama bottoms.

He slid out of bed and had a look around. It was a balmy morning: the windows were shut, the white lacy curtains were drawn, soft light reflected off the white walls. On a nearby chair, he found his usual clothing: his brown pants, bright orange-and-white striped shirt, and familiar lime green scarf, still worn-looking but sparkling and freshly-washed. Everything was neatly folded. This was definitely not his own room. His clothes were usually stuffed haphazardly in his dresser, sleeves in disarray, underwear not quite squeezing in. His room was the exact opposite of the meticulous setup of the room he was in now. After glancing around, he quickly dressed. His clothes smelled differently; it made him uncomfortable. Pearl was used to being thrust into uncomfortable situations, but nothing quite like this had happened to him before. He decided to push through it, as he had always done. He'd make some sense out of this. He would.

Suddenly he heard voices from downstairs. A male's voice, not very deep but not girly, wafted up from the first floor. Swallowing his nervousness, Pearl ventured down the flight of stairs. He heard a small thump and found the Delcatty from before by his side. He stared at the Pokemon for a bit and took in its soft, shining fur, its fluffy ears, and its gorgeous mane. Delcatty were rare in Sinnoh; Pearl still vaguely remembered the day when a swarm of Skitty and Delcatty raided the path to Sunyshore. It was all over the news.

The first thing that hit Pearl downstairs was the lovely smell of breakfast. He followed the smell until he saw a small table with two people, one woman and one boy, sitting opposite each other, chatting over their plates of sausages and eggs. A boy with thin cat's eye glasses glanced up at the sight of Pearl's loud outfit. The Delcatty happily jumped over to the boy; he reached down and stroked its head while it purred happily, then looked back up at Pearl with striking ruby red gems, whose piercing quality was visible even past the rims of those glasses.

"So the thing is awake."

Pearl wasn't used to being insulted so early in the morning. He could sense the blood rush to his face and his jaw tighten at the smug look on the boy's face, but he wasn't quite in the mood to blow up at the other boy. Yet. Inhale deeply, he told himself. He pictured Diamond and Lady Berlitz, how they had been waiting for him, how he needed to hurry to their meeting place. He immediately calmed down.

"Good morning, dear." It was the lady's turn to speak. She had a bright smile and an almost innocent look about her. "Help yourself to breakfast. The plates and food are right by the stove."

Pearl skipped the formalities and went straight toward the wonderful smell at the stove.

"Your friend doesn't talk much, does he?" the woman said to the boy.

"Oh please, mother, my friends don't have terrible fashion sense."

Pearl's brow furrowed. Diamond, Missy, Diamond, Missy. He finished loading his plate and returned to the table. He took a seat next to the boy's mother.

"Please excuse my son's bluntness," she said with a small blush. Pearl nodded and started to eat.

"I would like some appreciation for last night's generous stay." The boy adjusted his glasses and glanced at Pearl with his shining red eyes. Pearl's own amber ones burned.

"Tell me where I am," Pearl forced out. He was not about to lose to this red-eyed boy's unshaken calmness.

The boy's mother looked worried. "Ruby, you should explain to this boy what happened. I'm going into the bedroom to tidy up a little, okay dear?"

Pearl thought he saw the boy's composure flicker. "Very well," Ruby cleared his throat and set down his steaming cup of tea as his mother strolled away. "Firstly, I assume you are not from Hoenn. Your Pokemon are very strange and-"

Pearl instinctively grasped his side for his Pokeballs. Nothing was there. He panicked. "Where's my Pokemon?" he said desperately to Ruby.

Ruby looked more than slightly annoyed. "I was _about _to explain that. Your Pokemon are currently being healed at the laboratory here. I took them there myself. I also mended and changed your clothes, gave you my own bed to sleep in, and ordered Coco to watch over you for the night." Ruby narrowed his eyes at Pearl, as if to dare Pearl to be ungrateful.

Pearl gulped. Those red eyes creeped him out a little. "Okay, okay. Just… t-tell me what happened."

"An acquaintance of mine –remember to thank her later- found you in the forest near Petalburg and flew you over here on her Tropius. She told me a wild Slaking had found you."

The look on Pearl's face told Ruby he was confused. Ruby continued, "Have you never encountered a Slaking before? This is the Hoenn region. Slaking are fairly common."

"You mean I'm… NOT in Sinnoh?" Pearl's face twisted into confusion, amazement, grave concern. "Missy and Diamond are waiting for me! I have to get back!" He jumped out of his seat, dishes clattering, startling both Ruby and his mother. He hurried blindly for the door.

Something caught his pant leg, and, in forward momentum, Pearl fell to the floor. Whipping his head around savagely, he bared his teeth at the Ruby boy's Delcatty. The Pokemon looked about as unfazed as its trainer, who was standing above Pearl, looking at the fallen boy condescendingly.

"You shouldn't inflict more injuries on yourself, you know."

"This was YOUR fault, you dumbass," Pearl growled.

Ruby brushed it off with a casual wave of the hand. "Ah, ignorance does not seem to be bliss in this case." He carefully lowered himself to a kneeling position and extended that same hand. "Let me cure that ignorance of yours before it gets me in more trouble."

Pearl grunted. "I can get myself up, thank you."

"Suit yourself. I'd be surprised if that atrocious neck warmer doesn't strangle you on the way up." Ruby adjusted his glasses in a gesture that seemed both wise and haughty.

Amber-colored fire sparked in Pearl's eyes. "Don't say another FRICKING WORD about my scarf!" he snarled, pushing himself up and grabbing his lime green scarf defensively.

"Fine, rot in ugliness, _see if I care_," Ruby shot back. At this time, his mother was walking back out to the two boys glaring at each other, sparks jumping between them.

"Oh dear, Ruby, is everything alright? I heard yelling. Have you explained anything to that boy yet?"

Ruby glanced at her, face flushed in anger and embarrassment. "Not yet, mother. I think I need to take _that boy_ outside and teach him a lesson or two about Hoenn."

"HEY. I have a name," exclaimed the amber-eyed trainer. Ruby and his mother looked at him curiously.

"It's Pearl. Call me Pearl."

_So there it is, my first submission on this site, which I made initially for this fic. Reviews are appreciated, criticism is okay (even though I'm not specifically looking for it)._


	2. Chapter 2

_Second chapter right after the first because I'm cool like that (jk I've actually already written 4 chapters. Might as well post up the ones a certain person has already read). Also, this chapter has VERY tiny hints of Franticshipping. Maybe. :P But yes, Sapphire makes an appearance! Both she and Ruby are wearing their Emerald arc clothing._

_Oh, and my distressed Pearl likes to cuss and has no idea that Ruby is wearing a hat, js._

A majestic jet of water flew in a spiral from the Swampert's mouth. The defenseless opponent Pokemon was jetted across the field of grass, landing on the other side in a soaking pile of fur. Ruby stuck his index finger up and exclaimed, "So that was a Poochyena, my dear student. Common fare in Hoenn, but perhaps the least of our worries here in the grassy reg… are you listening, Pearl?"

Pearl was seated on a large rock, chin cupped in hands, right leg restlessly shaking, amber eyes focused on a lone cloud in the sky. He turned his attention to Ruby only to get ruthlessly forced of the rock by a blurred Aqua Jet attack. Pearl heaved himself up, sopping wet, about to blow up at Ruby-

"Toro, Blaze Kick!"

Pearl felt an inexplicable force hit him square in the back before he was sent flying in the opposite direction. He slid and bumped in the mud. His back felt like it was burning, which it might have been.

"There you go, ruining my handiwork again! Please try to contain yourself, barbarian!" he heard Ruby bark at someone. "I just cleaned and mended this poor lad's mismatched clothing and NOW it's all muddied! For goodness's sake, Sapphire."

"Aw, shut up about the clothes, will ya? Ya don't care that the 'poor lad's' hurt?"

Ruby audibly sighed. "You brought this upon him!"

"I was only aiming for yer Pokemon there, didn't mean to hit the dude. Sheesh." Pearl felt someone land beside him, felt arms slide under his body, felt inhuman strength lift him easily into the air.

"Oldale Town it is!" Pearl was landed roughly in a small clearing not far from a Pokemart. Still dazed from the double attacks, he had barely registered which direction they were going. All he knew was that Ruby's house wasn't here. He could tell that much.

He sat up when he could feel a pair of hands slither up his back. Pearl yelped and desperately hopped away from the creeper.

In the clearing with him was Ruby, glasses slightly skewed, hands up, an annoyed look plastered on his face.

"You… WHAT THE FUCK were you doing?"

Ruby was turning redder and his eyes glinted with malice, but he swallowed it and said, "I was _trying_ to repair that shirt of yours, which has a monstrous hole in the back, which _the barbarian_ so kindly placed there with her haphazard attack. _Now let me fix that hideous shirt before your bad taste chokes me._" Veins were popping from the boy's head, peeking out on the part of his temple not covered by the huge green band around his head. He moved toward the shocked blond again.

In a sudden burst of realization, Pearl yelled, "This is the SECOND time you've taken my shirt off! You must have some fucking creepy fetish for taking my clothes off or something! Oh my god, get away from me, homo!" Pearl scuttled away frantically. Ruby literally looked like he was about to strangle the life out of Pearl, eyes blazing in red fury.

Just as he was about to jump on Pearl, a blue blur landed on Ruby, knocking the wind out of him. In Ruby's place was a girl wearing a sky blue bandana and a matching shirt. Her mousy brown hair was disheveled and full of twigs and leaves, but still remarkably bouncy. She stood up, brushed off her knees (which had several cuts in them), and placed her hands on her hips.

"Geez, ain't ya scaring the boy enough without yer weird sewing thing?" The girl turned to Pearl and held out a dirtied hand. "Don't mind Ruby here, he'll get up. Oh, I'm Sapphire."

Pearl got up and dusted himself off as well. "P-Pearl." He took her hand, expecting a normal shake, only to get his hand crushed by her immense strength. He looked at his hand, which had turned pink. First the mishaps in Sinnoh (including that damn Buneary), and now all these things in Hoenn kept injuring him. Pearl obviously had no luck with Pokemon or their trainers.

Regardless of the loss of blood she might have caused, Sapphire sent a wide smile in Pearl's direction. She plopped down next to the still-dazed Ruby. "So… yer a trainer, yeah?"

Obviously to him, Pearl felt more comfortable around this jungle-girl than the uptight Ruby. So he sat down with her and grinned. "Heck yeah I am."

He told her a lot of things. He told her all about his two Pokemon, told a short version of his escapades with Diamond and the Missy, and, to Ruby's advice, thanked her for taking him to Littleroot. All Sapphire seemed to have gotten out of it was: "So yer looking for a lady and some fella named Dia and you have some sort of Inferno-whatever."

"Infernape. Yeah, and I have to get back to Sinnoh ASAP."

"Uh, what were ya doin' in Petalburg Woods then?"

Pearl looked down at the ground and traced circles in the loose dirt. "I really don't know."

Sapphire immediately stood up and thumped Pearl on the shoulder. "That's okay. We don't know which way it is, but we'll get ya back to Sinnoh!" She flashed him another grin.

"Alright, let's go!" Pearl stood as well and noticed the still-fazed Ruby on the ground. "Is he sleeping or something?"

Sapphire glanced down. "AH! Almost forgot about the wuss." She lifted Ruby up onto her shoulder and ran over to the Pokemart, Pearl trailing behind.

"You guys are pretty close, huh?"

Sapphire's ears reddened. She didn't turn around to reply to him, just sort of stopped mid-step. Pearl saw her back slump a little. "P-pretty close, I guess." She flew off into the Pokemart before Pearl could ask something else.

Inside, Sapphire had already bought and was spraying some sort of liquid in Ruby's face. Ruby sputtered, coughed, and sighed heavily. He glared up at Sapphire, crimson eyes burning as they always had. "Idiot, you didn't have to pounce on me like that earlier. You were tromping around in Shroomish territory again, weren't you?

Sapphire's bright blue ones shone. "Well gee, I was JUST TRYING to save someone by steppin' in Shroomish crap at Petalburg Woods!" She released him from her grip, practically throwing him across the Pokemart, and promptly left.

Pearl had little time to react as a light blue blur swept past him and jumped off into the trees. He entered the Pokemart to find Ruby meticulously placing sales items back on the shelves and muttering under his breath. "Where's Sapphire…?" Pearl cautiously asked.

Placing the final Hyper Potion in a small space at the very edge of the shelf, Ruby sighed. "Probably off communing with nature in her grass skirt or something."

"Are you guys really friends?" Pearl ventured.

Ruby looked down. "I suppose so. She's practically the only other person of similar age in our town. I honestly don't know why she releases her anger at me all the time."

Pearl chuckled. "Seems mutual."

"I guess so."

Suddenly Pearl had a delicious idea. He smirked. "Hey… Ruby." This was perhaps the first time he'd said Ruby's name at all. The bespectacled boy looked up.

"Let's make a deal. If you fly me back to Sinnoh to meet Dia and Missy, I'll help you with Sapph-"

"I _refuse_," Ruby interrupted coldly.

"Okay, I'm sorry for calling you a homo earlier! But you and Sapph-"

"-are not like that." Ruby angrily strode out of the Pokemart.

Pearl had an indignant expression on his face. He spoke under his breath as he chose a Full Restore, "Well, white-haired freak, if you don't think so, I still think so."

The Pokemart clerk spoke. "I'm sorry, did you say something, sir?"

Pearl placed the Full Restore on the counter. "No, nothing."

_Yep, reviews are appreciated. Sorry for this chapter being fairly short. There's a little more tension between Ruby and Pearl this time, but the real Misnomershipping starts next chapter. :D_


	3. Chapter 3

_I made this chapter a bit longer as per request. This one marks the end of the chapters I've finished, so updates will be much less frequent (my school load is pretty heavy, this week has been break for me). So, as a result Wally gets a short appearance! I love Wally :D In fact, I love every single one of the rivals in the Pokemon games 3 Ruby is really the only protagonist I admire as much as the rivals. Not that I don't like the other protagonists as well :P_

_But I digress. The Misnomershipping action really starts in this chapter, so if you were like "oohh friendship yayz", well, I'm here to crash all those hopes down and say, yes, these two are more than friends *points to genre* :/ It's one-sided for now, but we'll see what I can manage to come up with..._

_Oh, and I finally discovered this lovely bar thing (idk wth it's called), which separates my text from the story! Oh happy day! :P  
_

* * *

The laboratory at Littleroot smelled so fresh and clean. The machines lining the walls were bleeping happily, and Pokemon ran freely around the floor. All the doors and windows were opened to let the fresh sea breeze waft in from the South, making the whole lab a curious mixture of nature and machinery.

"Excuse me, is Professor Birch here?"

An assistant looked up from cooing at an Azurill. "Ah, the professor is out on field work again. Is there something you need here?"

"Ah, yes, a friend of mine has a couple Pokemon here under your care. I would like to check if they are fully healed." Ruby glanced to the side as he said "friend".

The assistant stood up. "Are you talking about those two interesting specimens?" he asked, walking over to the two isolated Pokeballs in the left-hand corner of the room. He carefully lifted them and handed them to Ruby. "It's a shame we couldn't have studied them more."

Ruby stared at the two Pokemon in his hands. In one was some sort of brown Vigoroth with armor and a torch on its head; in the other was an oddly-colored Taillow with a mane around its neck and a musical note sprouting from its brain. "I'm sure whichever professor lives in Sinnoh would be happy to answer your questions."

* * *

Pearl had been wandering for a while. He hadn't the faintest idea which direction Ruby had gone, and definitely no clue which direction Littleroot was. Pearl was pretty careful not to step in patches of tall grass, but it was no easy feat climbing over ledges to avoid meeting wild Pokemon. Panting, he reached what seemed to be a dead end. He slumped against a tree when he heard growling.

"Oh shit."

He reached for his Pokeballs as the wild pack of Poochyena closed in on him. His heart crashed down to his stomach when he remembered they were back at Littleroot. He was fresh meat, weakened and defenseless. The bark of the tree behind him scraped his back through the burnt hole in his shirt as he backed up against it.

One of the fiercest-looking Poochyena lowered its body, ready to pounce for its pack. One second, it was on the ground; the next, it was in the air. Pearl shrieked, anticipating a powerful Take Down, backed up some more, and scratched himself on the bark behind him.

A piercing sound shook the air.

The large Poochyena flew lazily into Pearl's lap, stunned. The rest of its pack were shivering and covering their ears. Pearl, however, was unharmed. He knew this sound.

"Cha-Chahiko!"

The bird Pokemon excitedly flapped over to Pearl and let out another Uproar. The rest of the Poochyena scurried off, ears lowered. Pearl grabbed the Chatot and hugged it. "Nice, Chahiko! How the heck did you find me all the way over here?"

Chahiko happily opened its beak and, in a perfect imitation that made Pearl's face pale, said, "A friend of mine, a friend of mine!"

"That's… the white-haired freak's voice." Pearl looked up to see that very freak looming over him. The boy's eyes were a dark, dark red, even more intimidating now that they were no longer hidden by the cat's-eye glasses. Sweat beads were forming on his temples, dripping from under the band around his head, sometimes carrying with them… jet black strands?

"I assure you, my hair has not prematurely lost its color." Ruby tossed a few Pokeballs to Pearl, which the blond boy fumbled with while Chahiko obliviously chanted "white-haired freak, white-haired freak" in the background.

Ruby was already headed off in the other direction. "Your deformed Taillow is quite the little fighter. It was struggling to get out of the Pokeball when we arrived here, determined to the extent of taking orders from another trainer, even. I'm not sure which category it would excel in, however."

Pearl called the Chatot back into its ball and ran to catch up with Ruby. The crimson-eyed boy looked over at his companion. "For god's sake, say something. It's rather odd for you to stay silent, from what I've experienced of you today."

"Thanks." The blond boy looked away, a fierce blush forming on his face. If there was anything he learned from Missy, it was to swallow his pride and appreciate.

When Pearl chanced another look at Ruby, he gasped in surprise. The other boy had daintily slipped his thin fingers under the band around his head, pulled it off, and removed his "hair", revealing a flattened mess of raven-colored strands. Ruby had taken a pink handkerchief from his bag and was dabbing at his forehead with it. "Ugh, I have to rid myself of this unsightly sweat."

Pearl stared. The other boy's jet black hair, despite being flattened, was starting to liven up at the ends. The tips curled ever so slightly, as if they would form into ringlets if allowed to grow just a bit longer. The curls were being teased and tossed by Ruby's handkerchief, floating up daintily and bouncing back down upon his forehead. The rest of his thin hair had gathered with moisture into tiny clumps, which broke apart as he walked, allowing the strands to fan out and individually reflect sunlight. This effect made the boy's entire head glow, despite his hair being so dark. It was so shiny, wet, messy; a combination that put pressure on Pearl's chest and heat in his cheeks.

Ruby turned his head, as if he could feel Pearl's eyes on him. Pearl couldn't help but notice how those raven strands fell sloppily in front of those bright crimson orbs. They complimented each other so well. Ruby's face wasn't contorted by an expression of anger, embarrassment, or smugness, either; it was relaxed and slightly curious. His lips were parted the tiniest bit. Pearl noticed that Ruby wasn't hesitant about using lip balm; those lips looked soft and supple, definitely not a guy's lips.

The next minute, Pearl had fallen face-first in some tall grass. He spat out a few blades. "Gah, what the hell!" What an idiot, he told himself. "Who put that ledge up there?" Staring at a guy? Seriously, Pearl? Ruby sauntered over to him. His hat had been placed firmly on his head once again, his hair was dry, his eyes were narrowed in the usual annoyance. Pearl sighed. The illusion was over. He was reminded of Missy's memorable battle with the gym leader of Hearthome City. Pearl had been the one to break through the illusions, and Diamond had been the one to fall off a ledge in a reverie. He smiled bitterly at the reversal of roles.

"Must I remind you that you most likely climbed over these ledges on the way up to getting lost? Are you dense or just forgetful?" That snapped Pearl out of his nostalgia.

Shirt dirty, pants grass-stained, scarf completely unharmed (as it was green already), Pearl lifted himself up, fuming. He was angry at Ruby making that offhand comment, sure, but the thing that made him angriest was that his illusion was over. "If you hadn't been so stupid, I wouldn't have been left alone to try to randomly find your Littleroot piece of crap!"

"If you hadn't been so goddamn hotheaded, you wouldn't have left Oldale in the first place."

He found that cold reply practically infuriating. "Well, if YOU hadn't been so…" He stopped. Ruby raised an eyebrow. Pearl couldn't continue, at least not out loud. If you hadn't been so fucking pretty, he thought, I wouldn't have fallen over that stupid ledge.

Pearl growled. "Tch. What kind of guy wears fucking lip balm anyway?"

Ruby looked rather shocked at this seemingly random question. "Putting on chapstick is better than-"

"You know what? I'm NOT sorry for calling you a homo."

Pearl stormed off what he knew was the right direction this time.

* * *

The memory of Diamond and Missy was not going to help him now. In fact, they had been swept completely from his mind. They had been replaced by Ruby, Ruby, just Ruby, his goddamn prissy attitude, his goddamn shiny hair, soft lips, deep red eyes.

In a burst of rage, Pearl decided not to go back to Littleroot. He turned right at Oldale, shoved past some freak drawing his own footsteps, and blazed straight through the tall grass like wildfire. Pokemon and trainers alike avoided him, striking as his appearance and attitude were. He whipped past a quaint city, barely noticing the townspeople staring at him. He ran through another patch of tall grass and flopped down on the cushy plant life. Too many things were running through his mind at one moment. He ran a hand through his messy blond locks and closed his eyes against the brightness of the sun, the inside of his eyelids burning red.

When the redness darkened, he opened his eyes. And opened them wider. Someone was standing over him, their head blocking the direct sunlight. Pearl immediately scuttled backward. "Whoa, who are you?"

The person turned out to be a small boy, much younger than Pearl. His green hair was windblown, and he had dark circles under his heavy-lidded eyes. He looked perpetually tired and meek. "I'm sorry for startling you." He looked worried. "Um… my name is Wally." He coughed into his shirt and held out his hand.

Pearl shook it hesitantly. Just yesterday, he would have shaken it vigorously and smiled widely, but today he just wasn't feeling so sure of himself. He did start fooling himself into thinking Ruby was attractive, after all. How could he trust himself?

"Pearl." His third introduction today. Hoenn people were oddly friendly.

Wally looked down. "Um… I'm sorry for just randomly coming up to you. It's not often I see someone just lying here on my training spot." He smiled shyly.

Pearl let out an uncomfortable laugh. "I'm just… chilling. You know, getting some sun and all that."

"Oh," Wally said. They stood there in awkward silence for a few moments.

Pearl was alarmed at the smaller boy's patience. He was also really bad at keeping things to himself. "Look, can I trust you to keep a secret?"

"There is no one I would want to tell your secrets to," Wally replied, lightly coughing again.

Scratching the back of his head, Pearl said, "Good." He smiled. "Well, there's this friend of mine. He's kinda confused at the moment. See, he actually thought a guy was attractive. Isn't that weird?"

Wally stared at him with soft eyes. "But some guys are attractive."

"What? Like who?"

"Like celebrities, right? Aren't they paid to be attractive? You know Steven Sto-"

"What? No, I mean like… _attractive_ attractive. My friend felt his heart racing and stuff…" The amber-eyed boy looked away to hide his slowly reddening face.

"Sorry," Wally said meekly, obviously put down by Pearl's interruption.

"I just… need some advice. I-I mean my friend needs advice."

Wally gave Pearl a tender smile and said, "Well, if that's how your friend feels, that's okay, isn't it?" He turned to the left and looked out at the gorgeous sandy beach, seemingly lost in thought. "You know, I'm really sick. I had to be transported to Verdanturf once." Pearl had no idea what or where Verdanturf was, but it sounded pretty nonetheless. "I remember begging the gym leader in this city," he gestured to his left, "to teach me how to catch Pokemon, but he refused because I was sick. That's when I met someone who taught me an important lesson. I caught my first Pokemon with him, despite being sickly, and he gave me one of his own as well." Wally smiled to himself, then turned to Pearl. "W-what I'm saying is, your friend should really just… do what he feels is right for him."

Pearl considered this for a bit. Didn't that sound like what he was already doing? What he had always done? No, he used to take advantage of Diamond, and he ended up feeling guilty for that. And now, he had just run who-knows-how-far, and all he felt was confused. It wasn't his style, but maybe he needed to think a bit before he acted. Maybe.

He had made his decision. "Thanks… Wally."

The smaller boy coughed, smiled warmly, and then said "See you later, Pearl."

* * *

_Sorry if you never thought Ruby was really attractive, but after seeing some fanart, I really think he is. I call him "darling" a lot when I'm talking to him (i.e. practicing my apostrophe skills ;_;). It's because he's such a cute little dear XD Pearl's so angsty rofl. I like making my characters angry and/or uncomfortable because I'm more comfortable writing that (srsly, that's so ironic). _

_Reviews are appreciated, criticism is still accepted I suppose, as usual :D  
_


	4. Chapter 4

_Oh gosh it took me a loooong time to finish this chapter. It was pretty hard to write because it's kinda about a mundane subject. Sorry about the... uh... housewifeyness of this chapter O.o But yeah, both tea AND curry make an appearance in this chapter lulz 8) I hope the next chapter will be the result of some inspiration. Not really feeling it lately. School started up again :(_

_So yeah, in summary, might be a little OOC because I was tired while finishing this up._

* * *

Pearl felt proud of himself. He now knew a small portion of Hoenn by heart. He had always been good with observation skills, even to the point of being able to predict a Pokemon's next move by its gait. Obviously, this gave him a good sense of his own location in relation to everything else. This, in combination with his good memory, helped lead him back to Littleroot without mishap. It was really a shame that he missed a part of the road between Littleroot and Oldale, perhaps he could have avoided that whole incident north of Oldale if he had a chance to observe. He gulped. Thinking about that episode made him feel a little nauseous. If Pearl was good at reading Pokemon and his surroundings, he certainly traded that off with being able to read people.

This brought his mind to Ruby again, who was sitting directly opposite him at the table they had eaten breakfast on. Pearl definitely couldn't figure Ruby out. He had done a lot of things for Pearl, but at the same time he had a sharp tongue. Those eyes didn't help Pearl's image of him either. No, those blazing red eyes burned holes worse than the one in the back of Pearl's shirt. Yet at times they sparkled—

Pearl shook his head to clear it of any images. He was going to take Wally's advice and do what was best for him. He was going to forget Ruby's alter ego, the boy who had turned to him with sloppy black locks, deep red eyes, and moist lips, the boy who, frankly, hardly looked like a boy at all. He was only going to see Ruby as the person in front of him, the boy with the cat's eye glasses, the fashion magazine, and the odd spiked beanie. This boy was the unpleasant one.

Ruby took a dainty sip of his jasmine-green tea mixture. He had been completely unsurprised when Pearl came bursting through the door, smiling broadly about his directional success. Nothing seemed to faze Ruby now. This sort of pissed Pearl off, considering the blond boy himself had been freaking out nearly an hour ago.

"'Sup, homo?" Misery loves company, after all.

Ruby's brow furrowed. He continued reading the magazine, its cover graced by a thin, brown-haired girl with sharp features. The headline emblazoned beneath her read, "Leader Roxanne: Her Rock-Solid Fashion Tips Revealed". Pearl's eyes trailed across the cover and landed at Ruby's fingernails. They were narrow, well-trimmed, and very clean. Their corresponding fingers were the same: thin and white. They looked so fragile, however much evidence there existed to the contrary.

Pearl's stomach growled, interrupting his thoughts, which he considered needed interrupting anyway. Ruby glanced up at the audible rumble. He looked behind him. "Mother," he called softly.

The bespectacled boy put down his magazine and went over to the stove. "I forgot she went on a date with my father." Ruby made a face as if to say, _again_.

"Does she do that a lot?" Pearl asked, wanting to confirm that expression Ruby had.

"Yes, quite often." Ruby got out some dishes and a small packet.

"So you cook for yourself?"

"Dinner, yes. My mother makes breakfast, while I usually buy lunch." The other boy had a large knife in his hand and was chopping something.

Soon a healthy stir-fry was sizzling on the stove. Pearl's mouth watered slightly from the fragrance, an action which reminded him a little of Diamond, his manzai partner with a bottomless pit for a stomach. Pearl chuckled. It had only been a day since they were separated, but Pearl missed Dia and his cooking a lot.

Ruby added the finished stir-fry to a pot and poured in water. "I'm going upstairs for a bit, so please call me down when it's begun to boil."

"What? I don't know a fricking thing about cooking!"

"I'm sure you know what boiling water looks like," Ruby replied coolly. He disappeared up the staircase.

Pearl went over the stove, dismayed at the task. He could see small, bright bubbles forming along the sides of the pot and around the mixed meat and vegetables. It was sort of relaxing, watching the occasional bubble slowly detach itself from the side, float up, and release its gaseous contents into the air. It was also kind of boring. Pearl hated boredom, and there was nothing to do in Ruby's house but think. He had already done enough of that already, so he turned away from the bubbles and started to explore Ruby's house.

The place was very small and sparse. Squished in one corner were the refrigerator, stove, kitchen sink, and what looked like a large china cabinet. Everything valuable owned by Ruby's family seemed to be crammed into the cabinet's drawers and shelves. Old books, souvenirs, and photo albums made up a large part of the contents. Without hesitation, Pearl opened the glass door and took out a heavy, yellowed album that had caught his eye; it was titled "Little Ruby". Perhaps, Pearl thought, he could use this as blackmail if he needed to.

He went back to the table and carefully opened the first page. Baby shots. There were a lot of those. Pearl flipped through until he found a picture of Ruby as a toddler. Even then, he was wearing that weird white hat, though its band was black and red, quite unlike the green one Ruby had on today. He turned the page. Under the next picture was written "Ruby's first Pokemon battle" in small, neat handwriting. The crimson-eyed toddler in the photo was covered with mud and scratches. He and a similarly muddy Poochyena were facing a stern-looking man with a huge coffee-colored Pokemon, both parties with determined looks on their faces. Pearl had never seen Ruby battle, except that one time when he used a Swampert to overpower a poor Poochyena. Even then, Ruby took care not to get himself or the Pokemon dirty. He didn't even seem the type to like fighting.

Curious, Pearl turned another page and snorted. It was a photo of Ruby and Sapphire when they were younger. Ruby looked like he did in the previous picture, dirty and scratched up, with a few bandages on his face. He was giving the camera a confident grin. Next to him, Sapphire was wearing… a frilly pink mess, coupled with a matching headband. Her hair was neatly kempt, and her skin was very clean and white. She was looking up at the camera with a shy smile, hands clasped neatly in front of her. Pearl practically shook trying to hold back his laughter. Either this picture wasn't real, or they had bonked heads and went through a major body switch.

He turned another page. It was Ruby, a bit older than the previous picture, without his hat. Pearl's eyes widened. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it before—

Hissing reached his ears and he looked up in time to see the water in the pot practically frothing over. "Oh shit. WHITE-HA—I MEAN, RUBY!"

There was a loud thumping on the staircase and Ruby appeared. "Ah! You idiot, I told you to call me when it's boiling, not turning my stir-fry into vapor!" He rushed over to the stove and turned down the heat. The froth lessened immediately. Ruby ripped open the packet he had set on the counter and poured it into the pot. "All right, just let that go for a bit, and it should be ready soon." He turned to glare at Pearl. "You almost ruined your own dinner."

"My dinner? You said you cook your own dinner."

"You simply asked me if I cooked for myself. I don't recall you asking about this particular dish." Ruby sighed heavily, heading over to the table to rest himself in a wooden chair opposite Pearl. He had something in his hand, which he quickly hid in his lap.

"So… whatcha got there?" Pearl asked, careful to keep the photo album in his own lap hidden from view.

Ruby looked away and his face turned very slightly pink, or so it seemed to Pearl. "Nothing of importance." He looked at Pearl again. "What about you? Your arms go so straight down in your lap; it looks as if you need to use the restroom."

Pearl felt an itchy, nervous feeling gather at the top of his head. "Nothing, really. Hey, whatever you're cooking might be done now," he offered, gambling to change the subject. He didn't want Ruby thinking he was ogling at the other boy's baby pictures; that sounded too stalker-ish.

The other boy's eyes narrowed. "Hardly. There are still 5 full minutes to go." Pearl felt uncomfortable in his seat. He just needed to stall for 5 more minutes, then when Ruby got up, he could check what it was the raven-haired boy had had in his lap. "I hate to mirror you from earlier today, but we can make a small deal right now," Ruby said. "I'll show what's in my lap at this moment, and in exchange, you show me what you could possibly be hiding."

Pearl was aghast at this sudden act of diplomacy, but he felt his head slowly nod on its own. His grip around the photo album tightened. The other boy's eyes flashed bright red for a moment, and he lifted a flimsy piece of cloth from its resting place on his lap. "It's not quite done. Normally I wouldn't let anyone examine my work before it's completed, but I'll make this a special case. I keep my word, after all." Pearl leaned closer to the fabric on the table and gasped. That gorgeous stiff collar, those bold and bright stripes of orange, those brilliant white bands! Pearl recognized this as none other than a marvelous replica of his own good taste. Ruby smirked. "Is it to your liking?"

The excitable blond boy thought it was of course fabulous. Truth be told, he'd been itching to replace his shirt. It was rather chilly having a hole in one's back. "It's awesome!"

Ruby still had that smirk smeared on his face. "Your turn."

Pearl's own smile faded. He wasn't about to back down on a deal, so he tentatively pushed the photo album onto the table.

"What in the world were you doing with that?" Pearl looked away. The album was still open to the picture he saw just before calling Ruby downstairs. It was that picture of little Ruby without his hat. He was obviously at a formal event; his small body was dressed in a crisp polo and nice pants, and his dark hair was neatly arranged. However, a small patch of hair on the right side of his head seemed to be missing. In its place were two bright white scars. They looked a lot like claw marks, Pearl thought.

Ruby was oddly silent for a bit, adding to the already awkward silence between them. He got up from the table and checked the pot on the stove. "It should be about ready now." He searched through the bottom of the cabinet for plates, spoons, and a ladle. He reached a spoon into something hiding behind the large pot, pulled out a spoonful of rice, and placed it on one of the plates. He continued doing so until the rice covered exactly half of each plate. He then carefully ladled the concoction in the pot onto the other side. Satisfied with his work, he brought both plates back to the table, moved the photo album, and set them down. "I hope you like curry."

The wonderful smell reminded Pearl how hungry he was. His first mouthful was warm, spicy, and full of rich flavor. The meat was tender and the vegetables not too hard and not too soft. Ruby was a good cook, even if the flavoring came from a package. "This is really tasty!"

It didn't take long for Pearl to finish his hearty plate of curry rice, while Ruby was taking small bites and dabbing his mouth after most of them. The blond boy stretched and smiled contentedly. The boy across from him swallowed and asked "Now, really, what were you doing with that ratty old photo album? Gazing upon my childhood? I'll have you know I was one of the most beautiful and well-mannered infants in existence."

Ruby had clearly seen which picture it was open to. Was he trying to avoid the subject? "I found a picture of you and Sapphire in there. She looks so weird in a dress!" Pearl said, grinning. The crimson-eyed boy's face darkened, and he said nothing. Pearl tried again. "Uh… there was another picture of you battling someone with a huge Pokemon. You looked really into it." Again, Ruby remained silent, the only sounds coming from his direction the scraping of his spoon on his plate.

"Poking your nose into other people's business is considered rude, you know," he finally said.

Pearl was indignant. "What the—I was just bored after watching your stupid pot for fricking ever!"

"And apparently so engrossed in my past that you were unable to do your job properly. You won't be able to succeed if you're so single-minded."

"Goddammit you," Pearl said, his face heating up. "What's wrong with a few pictures? Did something so bad happen that you have to diss people every time they bring them up?"

"You don't even know," Ruby replied frostily, his eyes turning a dark, dull red.

"Mind informing me, prissy-ass?"

The other boy's face turned redder. "If you'd offered even a word of thanks for all the things I've done for you today, I _might_ consider telling an ingrate like you."

"WHY are you doing all this shit for me anyway? I never asked for it!"

"Would you rather have been left out for the Mightyena to scavenge? I can arrange for that, you know."

Pearl made a frustrated sound and slapped his hand on the table. "Just get back off your fucking high horse! I have practically nothing in this awful region and you try to keep everything a secret! _Just tell me what's going on!_"

Ruby mirrored his slap on the table. "_For the love of beauty_, do not question me further on this issue! At this moment you don't need or deserve to know!"

This stopped Pearl. He bit lip—hard—and leaned back into his chair.

The crimson-eyed boy snatched the dishes off the table and went to place them in the sink. "Wash the dishes, it's the least you can do. Then, I had better see your pitiful self in bed before I take that horrid scarf and choke you with it."

* * *

_Kinda makes you wonder what's next. Pearl is certainly curious about Ruby's past now... although idk if he really wants to know, he might cry manly tears XD_

_Reviews are delightful, criticism is not asked for, but accepted nonetheless. At least give me some love for this fic? I know it's a really weird pairing, but I want to make it work somehow 8)  
_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Hey guys, sorry to be away for so long with this fic! I may be deep into the YGO fandom by now, but I still love Pokemon, especially the crack pairing I so tenderly shaped into a legitimate fanon ship. I love Misnomershipping so much. Part of this was writing way back in like November, and the very end of it was written this month, so don't be surprised if it's a little disjointed. Hehe._

* * *

Pearl lay awake in Ruby's room, staring at the blank white wall, feeling the soft rhythmic breathing of the Delcatty from this morning (which was now lying at his feet again), and thinking more than he was used to. Everything was dark and quiet, Littleroot being a fairly remote town with no wild Pokemon. If Pearl strained his ears, he could hear some Poochyena howling; he wondered if it was the same pack that attacked him north of Oldale.

Then his amber eyes chanced a look at the sleeping Ruby. Ruby had given Pearl his bed again, and for himself, he had set up a futon nearby and was sleeping on top of it. His hat hung neatly on a hook nailed to the door, so his raven-colored hair was loose, hanging over his pillow and eyes. Ruby rarely looked this peaceful. His face was almost as mysteriously alluring as the first time he removed his hat around Pearl. Pearl was glad it was dark. Just sharing a room with Ruby made his cheeks flush. He wiggled lower under the covers, pulling the sheets over his face. They smelled clean and fresh, almost unused, which disappointed Pearl just a tiny bit before he covered up that feeling. Who would want to sleep in a bed that wasn't freshly washed, he asked himself. That's just gross.

Still, he peeked from under the covers at Ruby again. Pearl imagined himself on that futon, arms wrapped around the other boy's delicate body, sharing warmth—he shook his blond head. He needed to get his act together, although it was getting harder and harder the more he looked at Ruby. However, whenever he away from the other boy, he felt a prickling in his back. He knew Ruby was there; the raven-haired boy's presence was like a black hole, distorting the light around him, sucking in the entire atmosphere until everything was focused on him, yet his dark and enigmatic aura still hung in the air. Pearl felt his lips form the shape of the word, and, before he could stop it, it escaped his mouth as a small whisper of "Ruby".

There was a rustle from beside him, and Pearl's heart skipped a beat. He practically fell out of the bed when he heard a second sound —a _voice_— waft up from below.

"D-Dad…"

Pearl frowned and looked over at the only other person in the room. The other boy's face was a little less peaceful: his mouth was open slightly from the sudden utterance, his brow was furrowed and his right hand was gripping the edge of his blanket tightly. His body squirmed a little under the blankets.

Finally, his deep red eyes shot open, causing Pearl's stomach to flip over. The boy looked around frantically for a second, trying to place himself in the reality he awoke to find. He finally stopped and sighed heavily. He turned to look at the bed, only to find Pearl staring at him with amber eyes barely distinguishable in the enveloping darkness.

"Ah… so you're awake as well?" Ruby croaked. He rolled away from Pearl's direction, his sleek hair falling and sliding over his pillow. It parted to reveal those strikingly visible white scars on his head; they looked exactly like they did in that formal picture in the photo album. Whatever made those marks must have dug hard and deep.

There was something about the nighttime, the darkness that eliminated a sense's effectiveness, which encouraged Pearl to be more straightforward than he had ever been. "Ruby," he said cautiously. The other boy turned back around and looked at him. "What were you dreaming about?"

"That's none of your con-"

"Ruby, I really want to know. You didn't look all that comfortable."

"I'm afraid I can't reveal this to someone I've only known for a day."

"Come oooon," Pearl whined.

Ruby sighed wearily. "My dream replayed some of my most undesirable memories."

"What happened?"

Ruby lay silently for a bit, seemingly deciding whether or not to answer that question. Perhaps the darkness was affecting him too. The utter stillness of the night pressed on both boys' ears, broken only by Ruby's soft voice: "I couldn't protect the people I care about."

"Your dad?"

Frantic, Ruby rolled back to face Pearl. "H-how did you know that?"

"You were muttering in your sleep."

"I was?"

"Yeah. That's why I wanted to know what you were dreaming about." Pearl had his hands behind his head and was staring at the ceiling.

Ruby looked rather stunned, either because he was surprised at Pearl's sudden care or because he was incredulous at his own behavior while sleeping. Either way, some weakness had leaked out. Ruby's comfort had been traded for Pearl's discomfort, or so it seemed as the scarlet-eyed boy lay stiffly on the futon, while the amber-eyed one stared casually at the bare ceiling.

Pearl could feel heat gathering at the top of his head again, however. He had tried so hard to ignore this feeling and let it pass, but it kept nagging at him for the past few hours. He wasn't sure if it felt _right_ or not; he kept mixing up Wally's advice with his own feelings all night. It was so difficult to figure out his emotions toward the other boy. It was even more of a challenge than before, now that Ruby had shared something rather personal.

_What feels right for you, Pearl?_ He continued to stare up at the ceiling, unmoving. Ruby wasn't making any sound. Perhaps he had fallen asleep again. Pearl didn't really want to look over at the other boy again, but something dragged his head in that direction.

As he chanced another look at Ruby, he saw those silky strands waving over the pillow again. Pearl only realized something once he registered the heat creeping into his face. Maybe his body was trying to tell him something.

* * *

Ruby had his glasses on again. He was dainty and small and pale, and those cat's eye glasses didn't help at all in improving his masculine appeal. His very disposition discouraged masculinity of any sort; he was sitting straight-backed in a chair, had one leg crossed over the other, and had folded his hands atop the simple wooden table he was sitting at. A huge map lay curly-edged on the surface.

Opposite him, Pearl was leaning casually in his chair. His amber eyes wandered all around the new area. This room seemed to be the main room of what Ruby called his "secret base"; there were two back rooms Pearl could barely see into, since their entrances were so narrow. The air was laden with the rustic fragrance of natural spices and tree bark, and the only sounds were the boys' exhalation and the rustling of the leaves which made up the walls and ceiling. The whole base was warmer than it looked; even in his freshly sewn short-sleeve shirt, Pearl didn't feel chilly at all. He was appalled at the impenetrability of this green fortress. No wonder Ruby liked to go here often. It was calm, quiet, and beautiful – just like him.

The raven-haired boy adjusted his glasses and ran his index finger across the map. "I have a question."

Pearl came back to rest on all four chair legs and asked, "Yes?"

"How did you manage to get from here…" A slender finger touched the right side of the map. "…to here?" It slid across all the way to the left, landing at a rectangular region, which, according to the map, was half-covered in ocean.

Pearl knew that the first region the other boy pointed to was definitely Sinnoh. He eyed the one Ruby's finger had traveled to. "Is that where we are now?"

"In general, yes. The Hoenn region is vast, and I'm sure it's the same for Sinnoh. What's even bigger, though, is the ocean between them. I just don't understand how you could have simply drifted over here." Ruby looked up. "Are you sure you have no recollection of anything that happened directly before Sapphire found you in Petalburg Woods?"

"Absolutely sure. I was with Dia and the Missy, then I wasn't. Simple as that."

"Hm, perhaps there is something amiss in your region. You couldn't possibly have gotten all the way over here flying on a tiny thing with all that misshapen weight on its head."

A bit irked at this jab at his prized Pokemon, Pearl said, "Yeah, well, I got here somehow, didn't I?"

Ruby barely blinked at the other's rising tone of voice. He stared at the map, lost in thought. "I just can't comprehend how you could have ended up in such a state in such an obscure location."

"Well," Pearl began, a thought forming as quickly on his tongue as it was in his head. "I seem to remember something about being in Jubilife City. I was… I was sitting at a table having lunch with the Missy and Diamond…" He trailed off, thinking seriously about what had happened.

"Is that all?" Ruby glanced curiously up at the other boy, waiting for a solution.

"Yeah… that's what was happening right before I woke up in Littleroot."

The other boy frowned, obviously displeased with so inconclusive a statement. "Well it seems as though your memories won't do us any good at this time. We just have to find a way to transport you back across this ridiculously large ocean."

Pearl huffed and sat back in his chair. "We'll never get over it at this rate."

"Oh come now, I'm trying to help you and you insist on being negative! A 'thank you' every now and then would do you good," Ruby said coldly.

The blond boy flinched at the other's dark crimson gaze. His eyes were unreadable; one moment they seemed to hold the watery quality of pity and compassion, the next the dark shade of loathing. If there was anything Pearl hated about Ruby, it was this. The other boy was an enigma, an unsolvable puzzle. Ruby had more layers to his personality than Pearl could process, and Pearl felt himself fall deeper and deeper into the mystery. He reached out, only to be burnt by the fire of Ruby's sharp words. He withdrew, only to be turned to ice by the distance between them. At this rate, he couldn't even take Wally's advice and find out what was right for him. Ruby was just too much.

"What are you staring at?" The cool, clear voice drew Pearl away from his reverie, and the familiar feminine face peered up at him past thin frames and round lenses.

Pearl frowned. "Nothing. Just thinking." But he wasn't used to thinking so much.

"Well, hopefully you've thought up a way to get yourself to Sinnoh. I happen to find your situation quite the conundrum myself." Ruby sighed and got up from the table, letting the map curl back to the tube shape in which it had so long been kept. He meandered toward the intricate sand statue he kept by the front entrance. It was so delicate that he would barely touch it and it would crumble, yet it was one of Ruby's favorite pieces in his entire secret base. He stared pensively at the detailed design of an ancient Pokemon.

His heart jumped. A sizable chunk of the wondrous statue slid off. A rumbling shook the entire base as a wild-eyed girl in blue clothing burst in through the entrance, looking positively exhausted and scared. It was Sapphire.

"Ruby!" she screeched, trying to catch her breath as the terrifying rumbling momentarily stopped. She watched disdainfully as Ruby continued to lament the pieces falling off his sand sculpture. "This is no time ta' be starin' at dirt! D'ya feel this earthquake?"

"That is a ridiculous question, Sapphire. I doubt one could avoid feeling it unless he was floating in the air, and I'm not doing that, am I?" Ruby snapped. "Look, you're ruining my beautiful sand sculpture. Take your savageness somewhere else."

The girl stomped her foot in rage. "Well gee, I was jus' tryin' ta warn you about the gigantic Pokemon right outside yer secret base!" As she said this, a deafening roar shook the leaves on the walls of the base, and the whole structure seemed to shiver at the might of the beast lurking outside.

Ruby's eyes widened. "Everyone, outside now. I don't trust this faulty natural structure."

"But that Pokemon outsi—"

The dark-haired Pokemon trainer was already out the door and gone.


End file.
